Checking
In With The Winners: The
Nicktoons Film Festival Makes an ImpactAfter last Sundays Winners
episode of The Nicktoons Film Festival, we thought
it would be a good idea to check in with the top filmmakers
and see how things are going. Mark Simon and Travis
Blaise, winners of the $10,000 Grand Prize, for Timmys
Lessons in Nature, say theyve been getting
lots of congratulations and inquiries from old friends
and potential buyers. "This is the most press weve
ever had," says Simon. "Weve been getting
e-mails and phone calls from people we dont know.
Right before NATPE, its perfect timing."
Simon will be attending the television market in Las
Vegas next week, pitching The Troup, a series
based on Timmys Lessons in Nature, and
is particularly happy about the doors that the Festival
has helped open for his property.

Elizabeth
Ito, winner of the Producers Choice Award says
that this week she "felt famous." Ito, who
will receive a copy of Mirage, the 2D animation and
effects package from Bauhaus Software, just finished
a stint of creative design work at DreamWorks and is
beginning to focus on her second, as yet unnamed, short
film.

Simon
also point out that he and Blaise were really proud
to be in such good company with the other judges
favorites announced during the Winners episode.
"The whole festival had so many great pieces. Seeing
terrific films like Charlie and Chunk [by Eric
Fogel], which is one of my favorites, I didnt
think we stood a chance."

All
of the more than 80 films selected for air on The
Nicktoons Film Festival have also earned their creators
a copy of the book Inspired 3D Short Film Production
courtesy of Creative Technology PTR.

The
Nicktoons Film Festival showcased the diversity
of independent cartoon filmmaking by animators from
around the globe. Filmmakers were asked to submit animated
shorts no longer than seven minutes that combined a
unique look, great character designs and a funny plot.
The Festival was a co-production between Frederator
Studios and Animation Magazine.

On
behalf of Nicktoons, Frederator Studios and our publication
staff, a big congratulations to all the showcased filmmakers.
Your work was inspiring, funny and really fun to watch!

Nicktoons Film Festival
Names Grand-Prize WinnerThe
Nicktoons Film Festival, produced
by Frederator Studios and Animation Magazine, concluded
over the weekend with the final selections of winners
and runners-up. The animation fest aired on Nickelodeons
digital channel, Nicktoons, over the course of 12 weeks
and showcased the diversity of independent cartoon filmmaking
by animators from around the globe.

Filmmakers
Mark Simon and Travis Blaise of Orlando, Fla., were
awarded the $10,000 Grand Prize for their short film,
Timmys Lessons in Nature, a 2D-animated,
comedic look at what not to do when venturing into the
outdoors.

"Timmy's
Lessons in Nature is an excellent example of getting
the most out of very little," comments Nicktoons
Film Festival judge Eric Goldberg, Animation Director
for Warner Bros. Looney Tunes: Back in Action.
"The character designs were intrinsically funnyhalf
the battle in making an audience laughand the
timing of the gags is superb."

Presented
with the Producers Choice Award and a prize of
animation software was Elizabeth Ito for Welcome
to My Life. The CalArts student film uses black
and white, hand-drawn images and a Creature Comforts
approach to explore the daily lives of misunderstood
monsters.

Eight
finalists were also chosen from the hundreds of entries
received for the networks first-ever film festival.
They are:

The
Nicktoons Film Festival filmmakers were asked to
submit animated shorts no longer than seven minutes
that combined a unique look, great character designs
and a funny plot. Goldberg was joined on the panel of
Grand Jurors by John Kricfalusi, creator of Ren &
Stimpy, and Gabor Csupo, founder and co-chairperson
of Klasky Csupo.

"Were
excited to recognize and reward up-and-coming filmmakers
for such creative and outstanding work," says Nicktoons
VP and general manager Keith Dawkins. "We had an
overwhelming response from the call for entries and
we look forward to continuing this project and finding
the next generation of talent in the years to come."

"The
filmmakers in the Nicktoons Film Festival represent
the most original cartoons in the world, and we're proud
to offer them a national showcase," commented Fred
Seibert, president of Frederator Studios and exec producer
of the festival. "We congratulate the winners and
look forward to seeing their future work."

"We
screened hundreds of films from more than a dozen countries
and our winners reflect the diversity of styles, influences
and stories of todays global culture," notes
Rita Street, managing director of Radar Cartoons, who
produced The Nicktoons Film Festival with Eric
Homan, VP of creative affairs for Frederator Studios.
Christina Vann of Nicktoons is the exec in charge of
production.